I'm here to improve my health by developing better eating and exercise habits with the encouragement & support of the Spark community. I also hope to increase the "joy" factor in my life by doing more of the things I love to do. I added the "LIVE ... like somebody left the gate open" w/the happy running dog, because to me it was the epitome of living well and joyfully. (9/2014 update) ===== On the topic of weight loss, I found EDRECOVERY's comment below to be very helpful, ...

I'm here to improve my health by developing better eating and exercise habits with the encouragement & support of the Spark community. I also hope to increase the "joy" factor in my life by doing more of the things I love to do. I added the "LIVE ... like somebody left the gate open" w/the happy running dog, because to me it was the epitome of living well and joyfully. (9/2014 update) ===== On the topic of weight loss, I found EDRECOVERY's comment below to be very helpful, and thought I would share it.

GAINING THE WILL POWER TO LOSE WEIGHT.

You can lose weight if you set your mind to it! Are you ready to take action to achieve the body of your dreams?

The biggest barrier you face is actually your self-discipline and willpower.

You may have fallen into a vicious cycle. The cycle starts with eating a poor diet full of fats, carbs, and processed foods. These are the kinds of foods that make you feel tired and lethargic all the time. Then, because your body lacks proper energy, you don't feel much like exercising.

What's the end result? You end up with a huge loss of willpower and you feel miserable and hopeless.

But there is hope! You can make the change! If you truly want to lose weight, you first have to build the willpower to make it happen.

Here's a list of things to consider when boosting your willpower:

1. Don't Wait For Something Bad To Happen. Your willpower is within you and you don't want something bad to happen in order to find it.

· We've all heard the stories about someone suffering a severe trauma, like a heart attack, and how that life event leads to a permanent change in their habits. You don't need this to happen to you in order to get motivated!

2. Watch Your Portion Size. This is one tip that can allow you to start small. It's hard to muster up the willpower if you're trying to go from one extreme to another. Decide that you're going to have the same meal tonight that you would normally eat - but give yourself a smaller portion size.

· The trick is to use smaller plates so the plate visually appears full.

3. Give Yourself A Cheat Day. It'll be an easier transition for you if you allow yourself some fun once in awhile. Tell yourself that next Saturday you can enjoy that pizza for dinner or that chocolate cake for dessert. You'll be less likely to give up knowing that you can eat some pizza next Saturday instead of "never."

· Your "cheat" day doesn't mean "over-eat" day.

· Savor the flavors of your food, even if it means having a smaller piece than you're used to. Once you've finished your piece, your willpower should kick in and say "no more!"

4. Take Photographs. You can motivate yourself to lose weight by taking some self-portraits. We usually don't have the best idea about how we truly look until we see ourselves in a photograph. Keep a picture with you and look at it when you feel like giving up.

· Update your photo often and compare them as you start to lose weight.

5. Make A Food List. Write down all the foods you enjoy eating, then evaluate whether or not these items are healthy. Chances are there are at least some healthy foods that you actually enjoy eating - such as fruits and vegetables. Make sure you start buying these foods for your home.

6. Exercise In Moderation. Adding exercise to your routine can also be a daunting task if you try to jump in too fast. Nobody is telling you that you need to join a gym and engage in rigorous workouts if that's not your style. You'll actually be surprised at how energized you can feel just by taking a 30 minute walk, three times a week.

Set Small Goals

No matter how you choose to approach your weight loss, it's important to take small steps and remain in good spirits. Doing too much, too fast will only set you up for failure. Instead, set small, manageable goals like one pound per week. By focusing on the smaller, more attainable goal, you'll actually see results far more quickly.

In the end, remember to reward yourself for a job well done. After all, you deserve it! Once you have mustered the willpower to succeed at weight loss, you can succeed at anything in your life!

Good morning my !! I just wanted to stop in and say !! I pray you are having a prosperous and productive day in Yah!! Your blogs and your walk in general have inspired me, so and I want to !! For sharing your journey as it has truly pushed me to fight this fight!!